CU Bomber Gets 24 Years InPrison

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - (09/22/05) -- A disgruntled former employee atMeijer Department Stores who planted pipe bombs outside twodifferent credit unions to divert police from a robbery at thelocal Meijer's was sentenced this week to 24 years in jail. ThomasHansen must serve the prison term after he finishes a 12-yearsentence in Ohio for robbing two Meijer stores. Hansen told thecourt he didn't rob the Meijer stores for retribution for hisfiring, but chose the locations because he was familiar with thesecurity. Hansen pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and onecount of robbery from the Fort Wayne robbery for exploding pipebombs at Midwest America FCU and Indiana Postal and FCU, which wereboth used to divert police while he robbed the nearby Meijer store.No one was injured in the bombings, which caused $5,000 worth ofdamages at Midwest America FCU, and $8,000 of damages at IndianaPostal and FCU.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER